Posts in category: Cruise Tips

Ovation of the Seas is a standout in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class – the stylish sister to Quantum and Anthem – and she comes packed with smart tech, bold design, and a seriously impressive selection of cabins.

But with so many stateroom options, booking can quickly go from exciting to overwhelming. And if you’re new to the ship or to cruising altogether, it’s easy to pick a room that sounds great on paper but turns out to be less than ideal in reality.

That’s where this guide comes in. I’ll walk you through the full range of cabins and suites on Ovation of the Seas – highlighting which ones are worth snapping up, and which ones you might want to avoid.

How to Choose the Best Cruise Cabin

While I’ve written this guide specifically about Ovation of the Seas, I also have a handy checklist you can keep with you that applies to any ship.

Just drop your email in this form and I’ll send it straight to you.

The Different Rooms on Ovation of the Seas

Here are some impressive stats about Ovation of the Seas’ accommodations – there are over 2,090 cabins on the ship, including over 170 different suites. In total, there are 24 different types of cabins to choose from, with around half of those being different suites.

You can simplify things to Interior, Oceanview, Balcony and Suite, and there are some specialist options for guests with accessibility needs too, so it is a little easier to narrow down your search.

So, let’s take a look at all of the cabin options on Ovation of the Seas:

Ovation of the Seas Room Sizes

One quick but important note – the room sizes listed in the table are averages. Some might be slightly smaller, but some might even be slightly bigger.

The best thing you can do is check the Ovation of the Seas deck plans when you’re booking a room. They’re accurately drawn to scale, so you can see which rooms look to be slightly bigger or smaller, or have a slightly extended balcony.

Often, they’ll be the same price as a regular-sized room in the same category, so you can nab a bargain.

Ovation of the Seas Cabins to Avoid

A lot of thought was put into the stateroom options on Ovation of the Seas, and there are some spectacular choices available. Still, not every cabin is right for every cruise passenger. It’s not that there are bad cabins, just some that maybe you would like but someone else wouldn’t, and vice versa.

While it’s true that the Quantum-class ships aren’t the biggest in the Royal Caribbean fleet, they’re still pretty massive, and so it’s worth planning which parts of the ship you’ll spend the most time in, and using that info to work out a good stateroom – you don’t want to have to trek up loads of floors and across the length of the ship a couple of times a day if you don’t have to.

So, here are some of the cabin types and cabin locations to consider avoiding:

1. Obstructed View Rooms

6160 to 6232, 6560 to 6632

It’s not unusual for cruise ships to have obstructed view rooms. They’ll be balcony or ocean-view rooms where your view is compromised, usually by lifeboats but sometimes by other ship structures.

Ovation of the Seas is no different. The obstruction isn’t awful – the rooms are above the lifeboats, so it’s only when you look over the railing that it’s obstructed – but definitely one to be careful of if you choose one of the balcony cabins or suites in this part of the ship.

2. Cabins Directly Adjacent to the Royal Theatre

3146, 3149, 3546, 3549

There are a few places on a ship where you might suffer from some noise disruption. Common locations on a ship include above the loudest bars, or below the pool deck, and that advice would apply to Ovation of the Seas too.

But there are four rooms in particular worth steering clear of from a noise perspective. They share a wall with the Royal Theatre, which is where nightly live performances will take place. While they don’t run super late, it’s best to steer clear if you want a good early night ahead of the next day’s adventures.

3. Rooms a Very Long Walk from Elevators

Because of the size of Ovation of the Seas, she has some slightly awkward elevator placement. She’s not big enough to fit three sets, so instead, there are elevators near the front of the ship and then in a mid-ship location, slightly towards the aft.

It means that any of the aft-facing rooms from Deck 8 upwards, and a handful of inside cabins on Deck 7, are quite a long walk from the elevator.

It’s not an issue for most people – especially if you want to get those steps in to burn off the buffet food each day – but if you’re carrying younger children back from the kids’ clubs (right at the front of Deck 11) when they’re tired and napping at the end of the day, you’ll definitely notice the distance!

4. Deck 11 Forward Rooms Without Kids

11128 to 11160, 11528 to 11560

The staterooms and suites right at the front of Deck 11 are adjacent to the Adventure Ocean kids’ clubs. There are Balcony Staterooms, Junior Suites and Inside Staterooms there, and regardless of which one you choose, you’re going to experience a higher level of traffic outside the room – and a lot more noise.

If you aren’t sailing with kids, then this is probably one of the worst places you can book, unless you plan on being out of your room nice and early and staying out until late.

Otherwise, the excited kiddos on their way to the kids’ club, or the many parents picking the kids up, could easily disturb you.

5. Expensive Suites

Ovation of the Seas has several options for loft suites, ranging from the Sky Loft Suite up to the best suite on the ship, the Royal Loft Suite.

These two-storey accommodation options are beautiful and very spacious… But they also don’t come cheap. And it’s definitely something to think very carefully about when deciding whether they’re worth the money.

It’s not just about whether you can afford the high prices (up to £20,000 per person, per week for the Royal Loft Suite). It’s whether you’d be better booking that, or choosing a Grand Suite for a week and then having the budget spare for another 1-2 cruises in a Grand Suite again.

You need to check out the Royal Caribbean Suite perks to see what’s included, as well as having the extra space, but for a lot of people, it’d make more sense to choose a cheaper option (including some of the smaller suites) and book several cruises instead.

6. Rooms That Can Cause Seasickness

The worst places on any ship for seasickness are right at the forward or aft parts of the ship, on the highest decks. That’s where you’ll feel the most motion.

With Ovation of the Seas, height isn’t a huge issue – there are no decks above Deck 13 with accommodation options. However, I’d still steer clear of Deck 12 and Deck 13 rooms if you know you suffer badly from motion sickness.

The best rooms would instead be something mid-ship and lower down, preferably with a balcony so you can focus on the horizon and get some fresh air while lying in bed. In fact, the obstructed balcony staterooms could be ideal if seasickness is your concern.

Suggested read: How To Prevent Sea Sickness on a Cruise

7. Connecting Cabins if You’re Not Booking Both

A common problem with cruise ship staterooms is when you book a connecting room without needing it. The shared doorway between connecting rooms is not great at isolating noise, so while it’ll stay locked if there are strangers on the other side, you might hear more from their room than you would in a regular stateroom. And equally, they might hear more from you.

All kinds of noises can come from an adjacent stateroom. Loud snoring, arguments, other things… If you’d rather avoid the risk of hearing those, don’t book a connecting stateroom. Leave those for when you’re travelling with a group and want to book both together.

8. Deck 13 Rooms

I mean, it’s Deck 13 – why tempt fate?

I’m joking, of course, but it does seem odd that the Quantum-class ships are the only ones in the Royal Caribbean fleet that have a Deck 13. Most skip it, going from Deck 12 straight to Deck 14, and that is because of superstition.

It’s not like the Quantum Class set the tone for Royal ditching superstition – the newer Icon-class ships also avoid a Deck 13.

Best Rooms on Ovation of the Seas

While most rooms are great, here are some of the standout rooms on Ovation of the Seas:

1. Studio Rooms

The Quantum-class ships for Royal Caribbean introduced more options for studio rooms. On other ships, it can sometimes be rare to get a room designed for single passengers, and when you do, it’ll be an inside room, 99% of the time, with maybe a chance of a window, unless you’re willing to pay double the fare to book a regular room as a solo passenger.

While many of the studio rooms on Ovation of the Seas are Interior, there are also Balcony options, which are fantastic for single travellers who don’t want to miss out on waking up to a wonderful view.

Solo travel is becoming more and more popular, so it’s great for guests to have this option on the ship.

2. Family Connecting Room

Some of the Studio Interior staterooms on Ovation of the Seas are connecting cabins, linked with a standard Balcony stateroom and a Junior Suite, capable of sleeping up to 10 guests in total.

They don’t quite look right on the deck plans, because it only shows the connecting arrows between the Studio rooms (10230 and 10630) and the Balcony Staterooms (10228 and 10628). But that little bit of white space is the shared corridor used for those Junior Suites, too.

This YouTube video is for sister ship Quantum of the Seas but the layout is the same:

If you’re travelling as a group, booking these rooms together can be a great idea, since you can share the balcony space but enjoy a separate bedroom area.

The Studio has to be registered with an adult, but you could take a teenager with you and then let them have the studio room as their own, even if the Studio officially belongs to the parent. Then they get their own space, without needing an expensive two-bedroom suite.

3. Corner Spacious Oceanview Staterooms

From Decks 8 to 11, the staterooms right at the front of the ship are Spacious Oceanview rooms. They can’t be balconies, because the wind would force the balcony door to remain shut most of the time, so instead they offer a bigger Oceanview room with a fantastic view.

If you can book one of the corner rooms, you’ll get even more space – they’re considerably bigger again! Just check the deck plans and you’ll see what I mean:

4. Virtual Balcony Staterooms

First introduced on Ovation’s sister ship, Quantum of the Seas, the Virtual Balcony staterooms are a great alternative to a regular Interior stateroom.

You still get a view, albeit on a digital screen. While it won’t help with the lack of natural light, it is good if you want to see what time of day it is (the virtual balcony is a livestream from outside the ship), and it’s better than just having four plain walls.

5. Deck 11 Rooms with Kids

See every reason I gave for not booking a Deck 11 Forward stateroom if you didn’t have kids? Reverse those if you do.

It’s great being so close to the kids’ clubs, and having the pool deck and buffet restaurants only a couple of decks away, too. Super-convenient, especially when it comes to collection time and the younger kids are refusing to walk and have to be carried in your arms.

The Best Deck on Ovation of the Seas

There’s no single best deck on Ovation of the Seas, but it’s recommended to have staterooms above and below you if you want the least noise, so Decks 7 to 12 would be the better options. Avoid rooms on Deck 11 near the front of the ship if you don’t have kids, but anything mid-ship towards the aft would be fine since that’s away from the kids’ clubs.

The Best Room on Ovation of the Seas

The biggest room on Ovation of the Seas is the Royal Loft Suite, and it is a stunning option, though it’s very expensive. The Interior Staterooms with Virtual Balcony are a great option if you’re on a budget and want to enjoy some form of view, even if it is digital.

Choosing Your Own Room vs Going for the ‘Guarantee’ Option

When booking your Ovation of the Seas room, you’ll be able to pick a category and then have the option of paying extra to choose your specific cabin number, or opting for a cheaper ‘Guarantee’ room where the cruise line will pick your room for you.

It’s risky because you can only select whether you want Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, or a specific Suite type. You can’t pick a deck, so you could end up with one of the rooms I’ve told you to avoid.

Still, if you’re laid back and don’t intend to spend much time in your cabin anyway, the savings might be worth it to you.

Find More Information About Ovation of the Seas Cabins

To put this guide together, I spent a lot of time reading Ovation of the Seas reviews and browsing some social media groups and forums. I recommend you check them out, too. You might find specific information on a stateroom you have your eye on.

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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